small straight, live, shorthanded, lotsa flop action, $0.10/$0.25NL

[poincaraux]

$0.10, $0.25 blinds, 4-handed, BB had ~$15, MP and Button have $25, I'm SB and I cover. With the possible exception of yours truly, everyone involved in the hand is a good, thinking player. People mix it up and are generally aggressive. Button and MP both spend time thinking about what hands other people could have given their lines and what hands I think they have, etc.

Preflop(4-handed)
Hero is dealt 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], everybody limps. Sometimes I fold, sometimes I call, sometimes I raise. Hey, it's 4-handed and live.

Flop($1 in the pot, 4-handed)
4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Hero bets $0.50, BB folds, MP raises to $2 after a small pause, Button calls, Hero thinks and raises to $10, MP stares at hero for a while and calls, Button thinks for a while and pushes for $14 more, Hero ...

My Thoughts

So, at this point, MP has a hand, but I think he's a little unhappy about it. I think his most likely holding is 2-pair, and I'm not so worried about him.

Button is much more troubling. His line seems really strong to me. Worst case, his range is something like 35, 85, combo draw (e.g. 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] which, given stack sizes, really wants to push and see both remaining streets). His range could be a little bigger, but the board is really draw heavy .. I think he plays vulnerable hands like sets and two-pairs a lot harder earlier in the hand.

My hand was pretty well disguised earlier, and I think my initial bet looks like a dinky probe bet.

Comments on all streets (ha!) appreciated, but "always fold that pre-flop" is a bit silly. I'm particularly interested in your reads given their lines, and alternate lines I might take.

I thought quite a bit during and after the hand. FWIW, if my ranges are spot on and MP will call, I'm calling $14 to win $59 and have ~21% equity on the last bet. If MP folds and my range for Button is correct, I'm calling $14 to win $45 with 26% equity. It's not too hard to change those ranges and change the equities, though.

[Ken Egervari]

yeah, this is tough. I really don't like flopping the low end of a straight. I've messed hands up like most of the time. I always managed to get outdrawn to a flush or better straight. I just don't play the hands anymore period to avoid the later decisions that when you do flop the hand you want, it's still too murky. I'd say while you're probably ahead now, you're an underdog to win with the next 2 cards. I like your re-raise, but I'd probably fold after 2 people like their hand. Just not worth it.

[poincaraux]

Yeah, I thought this was pretty tough. I'm just not sure I can play it any differently, other than folding pre-flop. And, like I said, sometimes I do fold this pre-flop, but I'll certainly limp in with a lot of hands from the SB 4-handed.

After the push, I don't really think I'm ahead .. if I'm ahead, I'm pretty happy putting my money in getting 3:1 or 4:1.

If you play this hand pre-flop, do you think there's a big advantage in betting more or less than I did?

[poincaraux]

Any other advice? This hand was hard for me.

[ajmargarine]

P: long time no see.

Fold preflop, obviously. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Lead for more on the flop. As played, just get it all-in. You are ahead way more than you are behind. Button's drawing probably. MP's got the set or the pair, or the overpair, or two pair. So, you are probably ahead atm. A lot of money in the middle now, it's high variance, and you'll get sucked out on alot, but you need to be AI here and be happy with it, given the action.

[TheOneWizard]

You might as well push all-in. There's no reason to play a hand like 35 if you're going to fold after flopping a straight. You certainly will get sucked out a lot, but that's poker.

[poincaraux]

[ QUOTE ]
P: long time no see.

Fold preflop, obviously. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Lead for more on the flop. As played, just get it all-in. You are ahead way more than you are behind. Button's drawing probably. MP's got the set or the pair, or the overpair, or two pair. So, you are probably ahead atm. A lot of money in the middle now, it's high variance, and you'll get sucked out on alot, but you need to be AI here and be happy with it, given the action.

[/ QUOTE ]
AJ: life's been getting in the way of poker .. but things are turning around, so I hope to play/post more [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

I thought this hand was very tough because, if I'm right about the ranges, I'm a small money favorite, so I need to get the money in. But, it's not too hard to change things around so that I'm either a dog or a big favorite. I'm probably more worried about this than normal because it was live and I had strong reads. I called, of course, and MP had top-and-bottom pair and Button had the higher straight. Turn was a blank, MP boated up on the river.

Do you really think there's a big difference between leading for 1/2-pot vs. 3/4-pot or full-pot here? I feel like I flopped a monster, and I want to get lots of money out of overpairs, floaters, etc.

In retrospect, I think that their ranges are probably a little bigger than I thought, making this an easier call.

Thanks.